Bolstering the role of the legislature for efficient, effective, and sustainable foreign policy-making and execution: A case study of Parliament of Zimbabwe

Abstract

This article is based on the social contract and role theories and seeks to propose a model for bolstering the role of the Parliament to enable efficient, effective, and sustainable foreign policy making and execution in Zimbabwe. The research used a mixed research methodology, interviews, newspaper articles, documents and other relevant literature on the role of parliamentary diplomacy in foreign policy formulation. The author argues that Parliament of Zimbabwe has a pivotal role to play in foreign policy formulation and execution through its Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, whose purpose is to link Parliament and the Executive. During the period under review, this role of the Parliament was constrained due to the Executive’s purported intransigence, disregard, patronage, and the whipping system. The Parliament of Zimbabwe's participation in inter-parliamentary bodies is weak and lacks vigour due to parliamentarians’ lack of knowledge, resources, fear of the sponsoring party, and the domineering Executive.